Meet Tony DuBose aka DJ Draulikz

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tony DuBose aka DJ Draulikz.

Thanks for sharing your story with us. So, let’s start at the beginning, and we can move on from there.
I was born and raised in Milwaukee, WI, and I honestly feel it is the best place to grow up as a lover of music. We are in the Midwest and get a solid mix of every genre. We are also home to one of the largest music festivals in the world called SummerFest (12 stages, 11 days of music). My Dad introduced my twin brother and myself to music at an early age. He had a huge vinyl collection that ranged from doo-wop, soul, and funk. So I remember listening to groups like Little Anthony and the Imperials to Parliament/Funkadelic to The Whispers and everything in between. I think the most influential thing my Dad did was when he taught me that music is always connected to memories. Anytime we listened to music together he would tell a story about what year it was, who he was with, what was going on in the country, and broke down every part of the song from the singers all the way down to the producer. I was so interested in his stories that I would dig through his vinyl collection and pick songs just to hear more stories. I learned how to incorporate that into my DJ style later in life.

This love of music soon had me wanting to learn how to play it. My first instrument was saxophone, and my twin brother played the cornet. We practiced together, which was cool because we had a band with just me and him! It was dope! (we probably sounded terrible looking back at it lol). As we grew older, we got more involved in music. We were huge Boyz II Men & All-4-One fans so we actually formed a signing group in elementary school and performed in a few talent shows as well as we got to middle school, that’s when our musical tastes started to drift. I got more into Hip-Hop and Heavy Metal, and he went more towards Pop and stuck with R&B. I got really into metal for a little bit and learned how to play guitar. But when I saw the documentary “Backstage” which was the doc on Jay-Z’s Hard Knock Life tour, is when DJing took over. In the doc, every act on tour had a segment, and when I saw DJ Clue’s part, it was a wrap for guitar lol. There is a part when they show him on stage with the technic 1200s with gold-tone arms rocking the crowd by himself, and I told myself, “I wanna do that!”. Soon after, I saw that I saved up enough money working after school to buy my first turntables and mixer.

I kept it as a hobby during high school and didn’t think about leaving the bedroom with it until I graduated from college. It was a fun hobby, and I just loved playing music. My close friends knew I DJ’ed, but I never really shared it with others. When I moved to Tampa, FL, to work at the University of South Florida is when I noticed that I might be able to do something with DJing. I was a Resident Hall Director and when we open the halls its long lines and its HOT…Tampa in August is no joke! So to keep people entertained and students engaged, we have events going on as families check their students in. I was asked to DJ and killed it. Students were having fun, and so did I. Once my staff found out I DJ, they kept asking me to play for events, and my department did as well. I enjoyed it, but I still never really thought “this is a possible career.”

Two years later, I moved to North Carolina to work at UNC-Chapel Hill. The dope thing that I found out about North Carolina is that its a Hip-Hop state. All the major artists run through the Carolinas while on tour or promo runs. HBCU Homecoming culture is huge in that state. So from a DJ’s perspective, it’s extremely lit… like EXTREMELY. During the months of September through November. Also, add in the probate shows, step shows, and other events from fraternities & sororities there is always a party going on somewhere. I haven’t even talked about the nightlife or CIAA so you can imagine how that plays out in an environment like that. It’s a DJ’s playground. I reached out to some DJ’s, and they let me open for them at their events, and I was also DJing events for students on campus when asked. I did a few events of my own as well with some friends, and that gave me the confidence (along with the support of my students) to consider DJing more seriously.

I ended up moving back to Milwaukee and decided to pursue DJing as a serious part-time gig. As I did more, I started to feel more like how I did growing up, and that got my mind into thinking bigger. I started to do more artists showcases and linking up in-studio sessions with friends that did music. I released some music right before I moved to LA that I was able to get played on V100.7fm and was featured on 414 Spotlight which is Milwaukee’s Music video show. I wanted to do more, and the universe responded by having a friend that introduced me to someone that graduated with a Master of Arts degree from California State University Northridge Music Industry Administration program. I looked it up and felt like it would help me grow as a DJ and music industry professional. I applied and got in! That brought me to LA and then from that point I party promoted in Hollywood and was booking gigs within a few months of moving to LA.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
No, it hasn’t been a smooth road at all. My biggest struggle was right before I moved to LA; my twin brother passed away unexpectedly. It still affects me to this day (3 years later). When I moved here, I kept myself extremely busy with no time to really process what I was going through. I ended up getting really depressed and almost moved back home. I took a break from DJing for a few months to get my mind back right. One of my close friends introduced me to a book called “Ask, and It Is Given” by Esther and Jerry Hicks. That book changed everything. Once I was able to understand that depression is energy, and it was up to me to decide how to release it, I was able to manage it. That actually got me back DJing more and is what motivated me to start beatmaking/producing as well. Keeping my twin’s spirit alive within and knowing that I’m pursuing a dream that he had as well keeps me going. He’s my biggest “why” as to what I’m doing out here. I’m manifesting two dreams into reality.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the DJ Draulikz story. Tell us more about the business.
As a DJ, it took me a while to figure out what my niche/market would eventually end up being. I decided to focus on special events (Corporate, private, and showcases) more than clubs and parties. You’ll find me rocking curated events where I may be djing alongside a live band or other artists more than in nightclubs. I’m a personal DJ for a few artists as well. My proudest moments were when I was asked to DJ alongside an opening act for Pretty Ricky when they played the NOVO and DJing for Ponce De’ leioun at the Swisher Sweets Artist Project when they came to LA. We also got to open for YFN Lucci at the Runts/Smokersclub 4/20 event at The Regent. I’m also very proud of being asked to join the Overly Conversated radio show on Dash Radio. I provide the instrumental soundtrack during interviews and the on-air mix. We have great conversations with extremely dope artists, and I’m really excited about what we are growing into. Please check us out! I’m also making music with artists and have a few tracks out on Spotify and SoundCloud. I would say with my education in the music industry, I can help guide artists on their journey as well as provide musical services (Djing/Production).

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I don’t really believe in luck or coincidence. Everything happens when it is supposed to and how it should. The universe doesn’t make mistakes. There are always going to be struggles or setbacks, but you have to learn how to adjust. Figure out why something happened the way that it did and learn from it. Failure is the best teacher in life.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: @dj_draulikz

Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition, please let us know here.